§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) in which local authorities the housing benefit help team has intervened since its creation; and when; [19507]
(2) how many repeat visits the housing benefit help team has made to individual local authorities; and to which ones; [19508]
(3) how long the housing benefit help team has spent with each local authority housing benefit office. [19509]
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§ Malcolm WicksThe help team initiative is a voluntary partnership between central and local government. The team only visits local authorities which request its assistance, and works with these authorities to identify ways of improving their housing benefit administration.
The help team's visits started on 12 March 2001 and to date the team has visited Hull during March and April; Bristol during May and June; Lambeth during July and August; Northampton during August; Derwentside during September and October; and East Ayrshire during October and November. The team spent around four to five weeks at each local authority, apart from Northampton, where the visit lasted around two weeks.
At the conclusion of an initial visit, arrangements can be made for the help team to remain in contact by telephone and give informal advice, or for members of the team to undertake short return visits. Such return visits have taken place at Hull, Bristol and Lambeth, and one is planned for Northampton in mid-December.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the cost in(a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02 of the Expert Help Team set up to assist in the improvement of housing benefit delivery. [19008]
§ Malcolm WicksSeparate figures are not available for 2000–01 as the help team visits did not start until March 2001. The total forecast costs for the project until March 2002 are £970,000.